The newly reengineered navigation system ($2,250) now has information for more than 6 million points of interest. Destinations can be input in several different ways for easier use, and the phonebook holds over 10 million entries. Route searching is said to be 10 times faster than with the previous nav system, and both it and the Bluetooth cell phone system can be operated by voice command or through the 7-inch touchscreen.

Of course, the GS boasts all the usual amenities expected by luxury car buyers, including power door locks; cruise control; electric trunk and fuel filler door releases; a pass-through tunnel to the trunk for hauling long items; a dual-zone climate control with an auto-recirculation feature to help minimize micro-dust, pollen and other air pollutants from entering the car; auto-dimming for outside mirrors as well as the interior rearview mirror, which also incorporates a compass and Homelink programmable garage door opener; and illuminated vanity mirrors in the sun visors.

Entering a locked GS via the Smart Access system is as easy as touching the inside of any door handle or the underside of the trunk lid, as long as you've got the key fob on your person. First seen on the LS430, this is a worthwhile convenience and also saves door paint from wayward keys seeking small keyholes. Once seated, the driver starts and stops the engine by simply applying the brake pedal and pushing a stop / start button. Again, the convenience is augmented by practical considerations: fewer moving parts to require potential repair, and the elimination of a safety risk posed by a bunch of sharp-edged keys dangling from the console. Smart Access also allows the key fob to be programmed to memorize three different settings for the front seats, steering column, and rearview mirrors.
The 10-way adjustable seats and electronically adjustable steering column ensure a good fit for almost every physique, but a bit more bolstering and a longer seat cushion would be helpful for spirited driving. The GS is capable of extraordinary road grip, but the seats just don't quite match up to that grip. Otherwise, they're just the kind of chairs that allow you to climb out after a long drive without needing your spine cracked. Adjustable headrests are found at all five seating positions, and the fronts automatically adjust up or down as the seats are moved toward or away from the steering wheel.

Push that start button yet? Better check by blipping the throttle, because there's no way you're going to hear the engine, V6 or V8, at idle. All GS models are extraordinarily quiet, their aural distinctions to be appreciated only at full throttle. It's then that the V8 separates itself from its new, smaller sibling. The big engine scarcely notices the weight it must pull or the air it must push, and the suck, squish, bang, and blow of the eight cylinders is reduced to a muted rumble from the dual exhaust system.
Throw in a six-speed automatic that is so smooth as to seem one continuous gear, and there's little to do except sit back and enjoy the ride. At its most fuel deficient, the GS430 jets from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds, with the driver's chief sensation simply the rapid change of view outside the windows. A bit of road noise manages to make it through the sound-dampening measures, and there's a hint of wind around the A-pillars when the car approaches triple digits, but otherwise the cockpit is a librarian's paradise.

Handling is virtually no-fault. The newly engineered suspension is state of the art even without all the electronic handling aids. Both V6 and V8 cars share the same suspension geometry: double-wishbones, coil springs, and gas-filled shocks in front, and a multi-link design with coil springs and gas-filled shocks out back. The GS430 also features standard Adaptive Variable Suspension, which automatically adjusts shock values depending on the driving conditions, or the driver can choose between normal and sport modes.

But, is it an exciting car to drive? If your only measure of driving fun is speed, then the 430 is a fulfilling ride. But, if you value a high level of feedback from external forces, then the Lexus experience might be a bit of a bore. It is just so competent and smooth that the driver feels more like a passenger than the commander. Make no mistake; this is no track car. The electronic handling aids cannot be switched off, so tail-happy cornering is out of the question. However, there's a lot to be said for the ease of taking a corner at competitive speeds without having to wrestle the steering wheel or worry about the rear end overtaking the front.

Driving fans should consider the rear-drive GS300. In comparison to the outgoing inline six-cylinder engine, the new V6 produces more torque over a wider range, better fuel economy, and lower emissions, and it produces some very pleasing sounds as it goes about its business. Featuring such advanced aspects as drive-by- wire throttle, variable adjustment of the timing on both the intake and exhaust sides, direct-to-cylinder injection, and a special Swirl Control Valve that works like a variable induction system, the V6's 245 horsepower can take the GS 300 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds.
The V6 is not an effortless puller like the V8, but it's no slouch, either. The generous torque provides plenty of juice for the stoplight grand prix, and there's little sense of the power falling off as redline is approached. Better still, the V6 provides the kind of aural feedback that delights the sporting driver.

Whichever drivetrain is chosen, the GS has pretty much hit its targets. In those areas most critical to driving fun (steering, brakes, and torque) this is a far better car than its predecessor. A lot of attention was paid to the steering, resulting in a new Electronic Power Steering system. A steering ECU processes vehicle speed, yaw rate, and steering angle to determine how much electronic assist should be generated, and it works wonderfully well, assisting low-speed maneuverability and tightening up when more feedback is needed.
In addition, the GS430's rack is augmented by Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS), which reduces the amount of steering input at very low speeds. It also accelerates the steering angles as the wheel approaches full lock. VGRS itself incorporates Differential Steering Control and Correction Steering Angle Reduction in its operation. DSC closely matches wheel angle to the speed at which the driver is turning the steering wheel in order to offset any delay in the car's response to steering input. This works especially well on winding roads. CSAR features a correction feature to offset the effects of sidewinds, making the steering adjustments normally having to be done by the driver.

books

sponsored links

This might sound too much like Big Brother taking over the wheel, but none of these systems are intrusive and do little to diminish the performance aspects of the new GS. This car comes in three flavors, all of them delectable, but all of them a variation of vanilla. Don't get us wrong; we like vanilla. But, when we were told the GS would make us forget about the BMW driving experience, it had our taste buds flipping into overdrive and hungry for a spicier kind of road cuisine than we'd come to expect from Lexus. We're still waiting.